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Slice of carrot cake layer cake with cream cheese frosting
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Carrot Cake Layer Cake

This moist and flavorful carrot cake stands tall as the perfect layer cake. It's extremely flavorful thanks to warm spices, brown sugar and vanilla. The texture is moist, spongy and perfect for layering. Tangy cream cheese frosting in between each cake layer is the perfect pairing - making this the perfect easy carrot layer cake.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Carrot Cake, Carrot Cake Layer Cake
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings 12 pieces
Calories 745kcal

Equipment

  • Two 8-inch round cake pans (with high sides)*

Ingredients

Carrot Cake

  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ginger powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • ½ cup brown sugar (105 grams) packed
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil (180 ml) or canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup applesauce I prefer to use unsweetened
  • 2 ½ cups finely grated carrots about 4-5 medium carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened, but not starting to melt
  • 12 ounces full-fat cream cheese slightly softened
  • 1 ½ - 2 ½ cups powdered sugar if lumpy, be sure to sift first
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts for decorating

Instructions

Carrot Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line the bottom of the cake pans with baking paper and lightly grease the sides. Alternatively, lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of the cake pans.
  • Place the chopped walnuts on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 6-8 minutes, or until you start to smell a nutty aroma. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl (this recipe has a lot of batter), beat together the granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs until frothy.
  • Then beat the oil, vanilla and applesauce into the sugar and egg mixture.
  • Beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing until combined.
  • Turn off the mixer and stir in the grated carrots and chopped nuts.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake in the middle of the oven (ensure both cake pans are on the same rack) for about 34-38 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If using two 9-inch cake pans, the bake time will be about 30-35 minutes. If you are unsure if the cake is done, I recommend baking for a few extra minutes because this cake is so moist and unlikely to dry out.
  • Cool the cakes in the cake pans for at least 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy.
  • Beat in the cream cheese until you no longer see lumps.
  • Add in 1 cup powdered sugar, the salt and lemon juice. Beat together, starting with the mixer on a low speed.
  • Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time until the desired sweetness is reached.

Assembling the Cake

  • Ensure that the cake layers are completely cooled first.
  • If the cake layers have rounded tops, gently cut off the domed top either using a cake leveler or a knife.
  • Place one cake layer, top side down on the plate that you plan to serve it on. Frost the cake with ½ of the frosting.
  • Then place the second cake layer, top side down on top of the first cake layer. Frost the top with the rest of the frosting. Decorate the top of the cake with chopped walnuts (optional).

Notes

  1. Pan Sizes: Ensure that your 8-inch pans have sides that are at least 2.5 inches high (about 5-6 cm). Alternatively, you can use
    • two 9-inch round cake pans - bake time about 30-35 minutes
    • three 8-inch round cake pans - bake time about 30 minutes
  2. Nuts: Nuts are optional. Be sure that they are finely chopped - otherwise the cake can be more difficult to slice. 
  3. Carrots: Peel carrots first, then grate with a fine grater. 
  4. Raisins: If you'd like to add raisins, soak ½ cup in warm water for 15 minutes. Discard the water and pat dry the raisins. Reduce the walnuts to only use ½ cup.
  5. Cream Cheese Frosting: If you'd like to frost the sides of the cake as well, frost the middle with about ⅓ of the frosting, the sides with about ⅓ of the frosting and the top of the cake with about ⅓ of the frosting.
  6. Cream Cheese: Ensure that the cream cheese is full-fat, brick-style cream cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 714IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg